String musical instrument



.June 2, 1931. H. FISCHER 1,808,103

STRING MUSICALl INSTRUMENT Filed Dec. 14, 1928 A TTORNEYS.

Patented June 2, 1931 UNITED STATES HERMANN FISCHER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STRING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Application filed December 14', 1928.

The object of the present invention is to provide a string musical instrument employing a single string and so constructed that the movement of the bow effects an up and down motion to the string rather than side vibration thereof, the sound box being of a distinctive form in relation to the supporting element therefor and for the string, so that by merely varying the size of the sound box and of the string depth and volume of tone may be secured, ranging from first violin to base viol.

, The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a string musical instrument constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the finger board, and

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 5 is a. transverse section of the finger board on the line 55, Fig. 1.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings comprises a shaft 1 provided at its top with a transverse aperture of a suitable form to receive a peg 2 to which the string 3 is connected. The string is led over bridge a resting on sound box 5 and then is, assuming it to be a metal string, tied to a non-metallic loop 7 hooked at 8 to the base of the shaft 1. The shaft may be provided with a furrow 9, and in the presenhembodiment the furrow is clamped by set screw 10 to a. pointed stud 11.

String 3 is led longitudinally of a finger board 12. The finger board is carried by arms 13, each arm projecting from a strap 14-. which embraces the shaft and may be clamped thereto by set screw 14.

The sound box 5 is, in the present embodiment, substantially rectangular in shape, and of greater length than depth or breadth. It is constructed of wood, its walls being thin. Within the box is placed a strut 15 and the bridge 4 is disposed in regis ter with or substantially in register with the strut. The back of the box is open, that is to Serial No. 326,016.

say unlike the violin or similar string instruments the sound box has no back, and hence no sound post is employed.

The sound box is not arranged at right angles with respect to the shaft but is placed diagonally thereof, and the finger board is not flat or slightly rounded at its top, in accordance with the usual construction, but is cut at a sharp angle toward the bow side of the instrument, that is to say the right side thereof.

Any suitable string may be employed with the instrument, in accordance with the tone and volume desired. Vhen the instrument is intended to have, the range and volume of a first violin, a steel wire string may be employed. The thickness of the string increases, together with, preferably, the size of the sound box, as the volume of tone and depth of tone increases until, with a box of l 8 x 12" in longitudinal section and approximately 10" in. depth a coiled G string may be, employed and the instrument will have the depth and volume of a base viol. Assuming that the instrument illustrated in the drawings is intended for the first violin range, the shaft may be 60 in length, the sound box may be of wood veneer having a thickness less than and a longitudinal sectional size 4 x 8" with a. depth of 4". The finger board may be 30 in length and approximately 1 in width.

In playingthe instrument the bow is not drawn in substantially the plane of the sound box top, but is drawn at an angle the same as or more acute than the angle of the finger board. Thus the string is made to vibrate up and down or toward and from the top surface of the sound box, rather than from side to side, thus contrasting with the violin and similar instruments. The result is the elimination of the nasal tone of the violin and the production of a rounded and richer tone.

Strut 15 is cemented to the top wall of the sound box. It is of thin but strong wood and aids the bridge in transporting the vibrations to the entire surface of the top wall.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows V 1. A string musical instrument comprising a shaft, a finger board removably attached to the shaft, and a sound box carried by the shaft below the finger board, the top surface of the finger board being formed at an acute angle toward the bow side of the string, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A bow played string musicalinstrument comprising a shaft, a sound box carried by the shaft and comprising a thin wood member having a top wall, side Walls and end walls, the top wall having its longitudinal axis disposed diagonally relatively to the shaft, a bridge carried by the sound box and a string led overthe bridge and secured at one end to the shaft near the top thereof and also secured to theshaft below the sound box, the string acting as aretaining member for holding the sound box on the shaft.

3; A device constructed in accordance with claim 1 in which the longitudinal axis ofthe sound boxis disposed diagonally relatively to'the shaft.

4. A device constructed in accordance with claim lin which the sound box comprises a thin Wall wood member open at its base and having a thin strut secured to the top wall.

5. A bow played string musical instrument, comprising a shaft, a substantially rectangular sound box,,carried by the shaftbelow the longitudinal center thereof, the sound box comprising a thin wall member having its longitudinal axis diagonally disposed rela tively to the shaft, a string led over the sound box and secured near thebase of the shaft, a rotatable peg carried by the shaft near the top thereof and receiving the string for adjustment of tension of the latter, and a bridge disposed intermediate the string and the sound box, and adapted to resist movement of the string toward the shaft when the string is manipulated by the fingers of a player. 7

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

- HERMANN FISCHER. 

